Be careful! As we go into the holiday shopping season, there will be goods and products for sale in stores we trust that are defective and dangerous!
The sad reality is that in the near future, some people are going to be seriously hurt, maybe even killed, by a faulty product or good sold to them by a company they trust. Maybe a big box store. Or a drug store chain. Maybe a car dealership, or a grocery store or restaurant.
Products known to be dangerous and harmful are still manufactured, distributed, and sold to the unsuspecting public here in Indiana and Illinois. The law isn’t stopping this from happening. For some recent examples, check out our last post discussing the Best Buy civil penalty settlement as well as the air bag recalls in cars still being sold and driven on our streets.
Almost any product can be dangerous. Like a bedroom chest of drawers.
IKEA Tip Off Dressers: Children Dying From Defective Product – Furniture
Maybe you read about the dressers being recalled by IKEA after it was discovered children were climbing up the drawers, tipping the dressers over. Kids are being hurt; some have died. Thing is, unlike some other companies who have tried to hide their dangers or the risks, IKEA has been working hard to protect people from this. They’ve issued a recall. They are offering a free wall installation kit for those products already in homes. The company also mounted a national television campaign to educate the public on the issue.
Will this help IKEA in any future defective product claims based upon injuries resulting from their defective product? We’ll have to wait and see. Hopefully, their recalls and public awareness campaign have saved some kids from getting hurt.
The Appliance Doctor Considers New Appliances Junk
How many appliances do you have in your home? One expert in American home appliances is the Appliance Doctor, Joe Gagnon. He’s a consumer advocate that warns against most modern appliances being sold in stores today. The quality of the appliances is substandard, in his opinion.
Shoddy workmanship in the best of circumstances. That’s coming close to having ovens, stoves, dishwashers, refrigerators, heaters, washers, and dryers being defective and dangerous.
Mr. Gagnon has supported a Michigan state law which would require manufacturers to notify customers of possible recalls (not just official recalls) immediately if an appliance is involved. Wouldn’t that be great for Indiana and Illinois, too?
To check for recent appliance recalls before purchasing one, or to check on the safety of your current oven, washer, dishwasher, etc., search for your appliance in the WeMakeItSafer database (which pulls together the CPSC recall lists).
Cars, Trucks, and Sport Utility Vehicles
Odds are high that the motor vehicle you drive, or the car, truck, or minivan driven by your family members, is subject to recall right now. There are literally millions and millions of motor vehicles on the roads today that are dangerous. Sadly, many cars on the roads of Indiana and Illinois have defective components subject to recall.
These are major defects. They can cause accidents. The driver can lose control because of the defect. Maybe the car catches on fire; maybe it shifts into reverse automatically.
Remember the tragic death of the Star Trek actor whose SUV fell into reverse, pinning him to a concrete pillar where he died from his injuries? See our post, “Star Trek Actor Anton Yelchin Killed by 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee: Did Driving a Defective Product Cause His Death? Are You In Danger?”
No one is immune from the risk of injury from a defective product. Go here for more information on automotive recalls.
What To Do After Injury From a Defective Product
If you or a loved one has been injured in an accident at home, at work, or on the road, then you need to investigate to discover if a defective product is to blame. Usually, the accident itself will not reveal that the product caused the harm.
Research will need to be done. Medical tests may reveal the involvement of bad drugs or tainted food. Mechanics and engineers may find car parts or components failed at the time of an accident. Appliances and furniture will need to be tested by experts to learn if they contributed to the burn, or fire, or explosion.
Federal agencies may be of help here. Recall statistics are available. The vehicle may have a reputation already, for instance. However, federal authorities do not help individual victims get justice; they work to stop the bad actors through things like civil penalties, fines, and federal prosecutions.
The accident victim will need to file their own claim for damages against those responsible for their harm. That person will need to fight a huge company or even an international corporation, and its team of lawyers, for justice. It is a David and Goliath situation, but it is how the personal injury system works in Indiana and Illinois.
Laws exist to provide for victims who have been harmed by defective products here. The victims file lawsuits against the companies responsible for getting that product into the market and then into the proximity of the injury victim. This can include the manufacturer and maker of the defective product as well as the store that sold the good, or the restaurant who served it. More than one defendant may be culpable here.
Defective product and product liability claims are filed by injury victims who want justice. These lawsuits can help provide for important and necessary expenses like medical bills, long term care costs, surgeries, rehab, grafts, therapy, and more. It is possible to prevail in a defective product case even if there are several defendants. Helping these victims is what we do, and we are honored to advocate for them.
Of course, the better result is for there to be no accident. No defective product. No harm done. It’s frustrating to know how many dangerous products are being sold today – right now – in Indiana and Illinois to innocent and trusting people who may be future injury victims. Let’s be careful out there!!!
